Wallace's Wonderful Adventure: Phuket--Day 6

Up and rainy. We had breakfast. We had a few minutes to kill before we left so Grandma played Solitaire on her AARP Ipad...hand held game and we watched some laps of the Nascar race. We headed out at 7:45 for an elephant trekking ride. It was slightly raining again. I started praying to Reece and Owen asking if they could use their magic and make the rain stop. As we continued on the rain kept getting harder. By the time we made it to the Siam Safari Nature Tour spot it was POURING. I did not think the praying worked. We bought ponchos and put them on. As we were waiting for our guide it quit raining.

Looking good.

All wrapped in plastic and ready to go.

This is where we are.

So cute even in ponchos.

We went to our first spot. It was a woman showing how to cut open a coconut, the native way. She then used another tool to scrape the coconut from the inside. She had a plate of shaved coconut. She then took us next door to show how they make coconut milk, oil, chocolate, and peanuts. They gave samples of all of them too.

Telling us how to skin a coconut.

Pealing the outside layer.

She chopped it 3 times to get it open.

Shaving the coconut out of the inside.

Squeezing the milk out.

Todd filming while they offer him chocolate.

Cameron trying the peanut.

The coconut boiling behind Cameron.

Next we walked up to the Thai cooking demonstration. They showed us how they make the curry seasoning. They gave everyone a bowl with rice and curry chicken. I did not taste it it Cameron did. He said it was ok. Todd ate it and then in another bowl of it he had them put the spicy curry they just made. He said it wasn't too hot. He bought the low and medium rated curry packets so he can make something with it at home.

The cooking demonstration.

Cameron didn't really like the chicken curry.

Our next stop was the rubber tree demonstration. A lady had a hat on her head that had a flame coming out of it. Cameron thought that was pretty cool. She made a strip in the bark of the tree so we could see fresh rubber coming out. We went to see how they take the stuff from the rubber tree plant and run it through a machine to make rubber sheets. They sell these to others so they can turn it into something else. We were a little confused on what she was talking about.

Making a stripe in the tree.

Cool flame hat.

She flattens it first.

Then she runs it through this machine to make big flat pieces.

This was a cool looking tree.

We next went to the Young Elephant Training Center. We saw two young elephants. One painted a picture, they both picked up hats and put them on the trainers, a little soccer was played, they played music on harmonicas, and then got fed by all of us. We could buy a basket of fruit. Cameron fed the littlest elephant then went to the bigger one. As he was going back to the little one the big elephant stuck her trunk in Cameron's basket and stole all the fruit. It was hilarious. As we were taking pictures with the elephants it poured again so we all put our ponchos back on. We were under a roof so we didn't get wet. By the time we moved to the next spot it quit raining again.

Painting a picture.

The final picture.

Soccer anyone?

Feeding the little elephant.

Cameron walked by and the big elephant stole everything.
Cameron thought it was hilarious.

Next we had a 5 minute break to get a drink or snack and look around at things for sale. After that it was elephant trekking time. We walked over to the platform and Todd and Cameron got on the first elephant. I got on the second elephant. Mom and Dad got on the third. We took off throughout he jungle. Todd and Cameron's elephant stopped to pee for about a minute. Man, they can make a swimming pool with how much urine comes out at once. My elephant decided to take a snack break and eat some leaves. I started sweating so I took my poncho off again. We stopped at a look out which was really pretty. We wanted to get all 3 of our elephants in a row for a picture but our guides must not have understood. Mom and dad got pictures taken and then they came over by me. Todd and Cameron were already continuing on their journey. So, just Mom, Dad, and I got a picture together. Oh well. We all made our way back to the starting point. We got off our elephants and waited for all the rest of our group to get back.

Cameron and Todd are ready to ride.

I'm on and ready.

Mom and Dad's driver.

First time elephant riders.

Pretty.

Todd and Cameron riding along.

The view from the top.

Big elephant tracks.

Trying to get a group photo. We were waiting for Mom and Dad.

Cheese.

As good of a group photo as we could get.

Follow the leader.

A picture of our 3 pictures.

Our next stop was the rice field. We sat in a small outdoor diner type place. They served Thai coffee or tea along with coconut pancakes. Cameron said they were ok but left a terrible taste in his mouth. They next showed us how they use water buffalo to plow the rice field. We got in a cart and were pulled around by a water buffalo. That was a first for us all.

Tractor ride.

Waiting for coconut pancakes.

He ate two so they must have been ok.

Dad gave them a try too.

Where we are sitting.

Hello Mr. Water Buffalo.

Big pile of Buffalo dung.

This guy got a bath.

Then got right back in the mud.

Going on a buffalo ride.

Cameron took a picture of himself and our guide stuck
her fingers in it.

Cameron tried again and got Dad and Todd in the
background. Love this picture.

Cameron riding a water buffalo.

Our last stop was to see how the crop was turned into rice. We watched a girl use a special tool to smash rice. We also watched here use a soft to separate two kinds of rice. It was pretty cool. They now have automated machines that do this kind of work for them.

Rice growing.

Dad testing how heavy the plow is.
It was heavy.

Rice.

Push down on one end and it smashes at the other.

Cameron took a turn.

Separating the rice.

Cameron and I both thought this boy looked
like our friend Gavin when he was little.

Time to buy our elephant photos and get back in the van to return to our hotel. Todd asked our driver of he could stop at the Harley store on the way. He said that would be no problem. As we started driving home it started POURING again. I have to believe Reece and Owen did help us out. Not one drop of rain on us while doing any of our activities. Thanks boys.

Pouring.

Our driver pulled into the motorcycle store. As it turned out it wasn't a Harley dealership just a motorcycle shop. They had mostly Thailand Bike Week shirts which my dad didn't want. They had a few other shirts but not the right size. Bummer. Back in the van.

Outside the motorcycle shop...Pouring!

Some Harley gear.

Lots of Bike Week shirts.

Back at the hotel Cameron and Grandma put suits on and went swimming. I sat at they pool watching them. Todd used some of his new curry sauce and made lunch. We also ordered Cameron his 6th chicken and pineapple pizza. When all the lunch was ready we went back to the room to eat. Todd's chicken curry noodle concoction was really good. It had a little heat to it but it was good. Cameron ate his entire pizza again. He may have withdrawals when we leave.

After lunch we all (except Todd) went to swim. We also played some volleyball in the water. Cameron made a few trips down the little water slide too. Todd was inside trying to get his ear to unclog. It was really bothering him. At 4:00 we went back to our room. Cameron swam in our pool for awhile. We hung out and played some doubles shuffleboard. We all really like that game. Grandma and Cameron played a game of giant Checkers. Back to the room.

Ready for some shuffle board.

Check out mom's form.

Dad should go on the shuffle board tour.

He won.

Two of the pieces from Checkers.

At 6:30 we went to Bill Bentley's for dinner. Cameron and Grandma played shuffleboard again. They even got Grandpa to play. We had a good dinner and then Mom, Dad, And I bought a couple souvenirs while Todd took Cameron back to the room. We watched Terminator 2 then went to bed.